By Marcia Miller, PT, MS, CHT
Tidewater Physical Therapy, Williamsburg Hand Therapy Center Clinical Director
Checking email on the phone. Jotting down a note. Doing a little work from home on a laptop.
Hands down (pun intended), hands are among the most used parts of our patients’ bodies, and it’s easy to take them for granted and even easier for our patients to forget how often they use hands in everyday life. That is, until they develop pain.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 52.5 million adults in the US reported being told by a doctor that they have some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus or fibromyalgia. Osteoarthritis is the most common arthritis causing hand problems.
Today, there are a number of research-driven treatment protocols to get patients back to their active lives when their hands are impaired. Education is vital.
There are several effective daily living tips patients should practice to protect their hand joints.
Cell Phone Use
Many modern hand injuries stem from technology related issues, namely overuse. In 2005, the American Society of Hand Therapists warned consumers there was an increase risk of hand, wrist and arm injuries from repetitive motion on small buttons and awkward wrist movements. And just think how much more dependent society is on cellphones than in 2005.
Remind patients when working on a cell phone to:
1. Keep arms in front to minimize looking down.
2. Write extensive emails from computers, not phones.
3. Use a headset or speakerphone whenever possible.
4. Minimize texting when you can, or support arms, hands and phone on a briefcase or lap while texting. Talk to text is a great tool. Use it.
Take a Note
Ever think about the size of the pen patients use to write notes? It matters. As patients write, they are actually putting many pounds of pressure on their hands per pinch. That multiplies as they bear down. For example, if we pinch with three pounds of force at the tip of a pen, that multiplies to 36 pounds of force at the basal joint. If patients already have pain in their hands, consider telling them to use thicker pens as they do not require as much force be applied to hold.
Laptop Use
It may sound obvious, but remind patients that laptops were made to be used on the lap and not on a desk or counter. That elevated position of the laptop can force the user to have their hands, wrists and upper body in an uncomfortable position that, over time, can lead to pain from inflammation in the hands and wrists. Inflammation can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. Advise patients to modify their surface height so their wrists are neutral with their elbows at their side.
Training, Stretching and Breaks
Just like you wouldn’t run a marathon without training or stretching, encourage patients not to sit at a computer for eight hours straight without stretching or taking breaks. That long at a computer uses those small hand muscles in an endurance capacity.
Encourage patients to stretch hourly, from the neck all the way down. Include the arms, shoulders, triceps, forearms, wrists and fingers.
Marcia Miller, PT, MS, CHT is the Clinical Director of the Tidewater Physical Therapy Williamsburg Hand Therapy Center. Learn more at www.tpti.com
